1. Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam will attend the 13th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, to be held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, from November 20 to 21.

o The upcoming Meeting, to be chaired by State Counsellor and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, will bring together foreign ministers or high-level officials from 53 ASEM members, including the EU and ASEAN.

2. In his keynote remarks at a session on “increasing synergy between peace and sustainable development,” Vice Minister Lim will share the experience of the ROK, which rose from the ashes of the war and achieved peace and economic development, and the lessons it learned. He will also offer a way forward for cooperation within ASEM regarding the connection between peace and sustainable development, an issue attracting worldwide attention recently.

3. At a session on “strengthening cooperation at ASEM,” Vice Minister Lim will explain the ROK government’s efforts to actively contribute to the development of ASEAM, including the 7th ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting, held recently in Seoul, and the 6th ASEM Education Ministers’ Meeting, to take place in Seoul next week. He will also present ways to enhance connectivity and cooperation within ASEM.

4. Vice Minister Lim will attend a retreat session on the second day. At the session, he will exchange views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula, reaffirm common understanding on the need to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue in a peaceful manner, and ask for cooperation from ASEM to make the PyeongChang Winter Olympics a “peace Olympics.”

5. On the sidelines of the 13th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Vice Minister Lim will hold bilateral meetings with head delegates from ASEM member states, including Sweden, Norway and Slovakia, and discuss cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue, as well as ways to step up cooperation within ASEM.

6. Vice Minister Lim’s participation in the upcoming ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is expected to serve as an opportunity to present the ROK government’s vision for the way forward for cooperation within ASEM, and reaffirm the ASEM members’ continued support for the ROK government’s efforts to solve the North Korean nuclear problem.


* unofficial translation